Good Friday

Good Friday – April 18, 2025

Hosea 6:1-6; Habakkuk 3:2-4; Exodus 12:1-11; Psalm 140

St. John 18-19

In the Name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

“If Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty…you are still in your sins…If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.”[1] The death and resurrection of Christ are the center, the heart, of our faith. This is because Christ vicariously (that is, in the place of man) rendered to God, who was wrathful over our sin, a satisfaction which changed His wrath into grace toward us.[2] The vicarious satisfaction of God’s wrath on your behalf is the focus of our service today.

Pilate asked the Jews, “Shall I crucify your King?”[3] All Christians ought to consider that question. All Christians ought to be bothered by how to answer it. Knowing the depth of your own sin, it seems impossible to answer, “Yes! Crucify Him!” You know that it is your sin that ultimately put Christ on the cross. He lived a perfect life. There was no sin in Him. He knew no sin and yet He died the death of a criminal because of your sin. No one desires to see an innocent life taken. It is even more difficult to know that the innocent life was taken because of you.

At the same time, knowing the depth of God’s love for you, knowing what the Scriptures say about the Christ, and knowing that God will raise the innocent Lamb from the dead, Christians are also obligated to answer Pilate’s question with, “Yes, crucify Him.” It is this dichotomy that I hope to lay before you this afternoon by looking 1) first at the immutable justice of God; 2) second, what it means that Christ is our substitute; and 3) finally, the benefits of Christ’s substitution.

I.                   The Immutable Justice of God

God’s immutable justice demands perfect obedience to His Law and pronounces eternal damnation on all who transgress.[4] This justice is an inherent quality in God. He is perfect in every way and will not stand in the presence of imperfection. As for the demand of perfect obedience, that is precisely how God created the universe. In the beginning, He called all things good. With the creation of man, He called all things very good. Man was created in original righteousness. His will was perfectly conformed to God’s will. Adam and Eve trusted God more fully and obeyed His Law more precisely than we can even imagine.

The proclamation of eternal damnation on all who transgress was also present at the beginning. God told Adam and Eve that should they transgress His Law, they would surely die. The consequence of sin is death, not strictly because one logically follows the other, like one domino hitting the next, but because of God’s judgment against transgression. God passed the death sentence for the transgression of sin because it is a tearing of the relationship between man and God. It is a destruction of the relationship into which God first created man. If God is life, then severing our connection to Him via sin is to choose death. Therefore, God’s judgment of death for transgression does logically follow, even if the cause and power of death is God’s proclamation, not logic. It is the Word of God that makes death deadly.

Some might try to comfort themselves by saying that God’s justice and proclamation of damnation for transgression of that justice only apply in general, to His general governing of the world. However, this is not the case. Scripture is clear, “Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them;”[5] “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”[6] All means all. Everyone means every individual person. Every person is born a sinner, a consequence of original sin, and every person continues to sin. Stumble in one minor point of God’s Law and you are guilty of it all.[7]

It is our own guilt and shame that would plead with Pilate to reconsider. Knowledge of sin leads us to realize that we are not worth the death of another, let alone the innocent death of Christ.

II.                Christ is the Substitute

Yet it is the very death of Christ that pleads on our behalf. The hour of His crucifixion is the hour of His glorification. It is the very reason He came into our flesh. “God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law.”[8] Motivated by the deep, eternal, divine love for man, Christ made Himself lower than the angels that He might reconcile us to the Father and plead our case before the Divine Judge. He willingly accepted the obligation to stand in man’s stead both to keep the Law perfectly and bear the punishment the Law exacts on transgression.[9]

By standing in the of man, Christ fulfills both elements of God’s justice. He perfectly kept the Law. He was obedient in every way, even triumphing over the temptations of satan that were the demise of Adam and Eve. He was obedient to death, even death on a cross.[10]

Christ’s death was gruesome. He was tortured, stricken, smitten, and afflicted. His face and body were unrecognizable as He hung on the tree. He suffered physical and spiritual pain on a scale billions of times greater than we can imagine. He knew the pain He must endure on your behalf. In the Garden of Gethsemane, He begged the Father that if there was another way to save mankind, any other way, to let it be so.[11] And yet, He faithfully submitted to His Father, knowing what must happen. What mother’s heart isn’t broken by the suffering of her child? And yet any mother would give anything to suffer in her child’s place. So too, Christ is willing to suffer even this on behalf of His beloved.

Knowing the depth of Christ’s love for us, that while we were yet sinners, He died for us, we ought to answer Pilate’s question, “If it is the Father’s will, then please, do not crucify Him; yet do not act according to our will, but let God’s will be done.”[12]

III.             The Benefits of Substitution

Through Christ’s substitutional obedience and death, God’s wrath against man was appeased, or in other words, the judgment of condemnation was set aside.^[13] The verdict was rendered, and the sentence was carried out, but not on you. Christ stood in your place and received the full sentence due to man for sin, and there is no double jeopardy in the divine courtroom. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.”[14]

Having been justified by Christ, declared righteous before God, the relationship between God and man has been restored. That which was sundered by sin has been repaired through the death of Christ, which satisfied God’s wrath against sinners. “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus.”[15]

There is sometimes the idea that faith or religion is for the purpose of personal fulfillment, comfort, encouragement, or self-actualization. That idea leads to the modern thought that while you might find fulfillment in Christ, someone else finds fulfillment in friendship, the teachings of the Buddha, or even a fine glass of whiskey. This thinking fails to realize that in Christ, we have something objective. A real change has happened outside of ourselves. Christ’s vicarious satisfaction is an objective truth that stands outside of our sense of fulfillment, joy, or encouragement. He has satisfied the wrath of God such that we are now reconciled with God. The restoration of this relationship means that we have access to the Father. We are declared free from the bondage of sin.

In this freedom, sure, we find a sense of fulfillment, joy, encouragement, and even happiness, but these benefits derive from the true benefit of the Cross – a restored relationship with God, an objective declaration of our innocence before God. The deadly power of death has been removed. It had no claim on Christ, the truly innocent One, and so now death has no claim on you. “The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”[16]

We must never separate the Crucifixion from the Resurrection. The Resurrection of Christ is the sign that His sacrifice to the Father was accepted, pleasing to the Father, and that it made atonement for man. Death had no claim on Christ because He had no sin. Yet He bore the sins of the world, your sin, into death that it would be buried there in the tomb. It was necessary for Christ to die so that by His death, death would be destroyed.

And standing on this side of the Resurrection, our eyes opened like those of the disciples in Emmaus, we can hear Pilate’s question with new ears, “Shall I crucify your King?” Pilate and the Jews, though themselves agents of death and the devil, were also working to fulfill the way of salvation. Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sins.[17] Therefore, we can confidently answer Pilate, “Yes, crucify our King because by His crucifixion, we shall be made righteous before God. Yes, crucify our King because by His death we are saved and the wicked shall be judged. Yes, crucify our King because in three days, He will be raised triumphant over the death you so wickedly have commanded.”

The cross of Christ is His glorification and the moment of our salvation. If there was any other way for salvation, even Christ found it preferable. Yet this was the only way to save sinners. And because Christ loves you, He endured the sins of the world by hanging on a tree. Thanks be to God that He “so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”[18]

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] 1 Corinthians 15:14, 17, 19.

[2] This definition of the vicarious satisfaction comes from Francis Pieper, Christian Dogmatics, Volume 2 (St. Louis, MO: Concordia Publishing House, 1951), 344.

[3] St. John 19:15.

[4] Pieper, 344.

[5] Galatians 3:10.

[6] Romans 3:23.

[7] James 2:10.

[8] Galatians 4:4-5.

[9] Pieper, 345.

[10] Philippians 2:8.

[11] St. Matthew 26:39-46; St. Mark 14:35-42; St. Luke 22:41-44.

[12] Romans 5:8; St. Luke 22:42.

[13] Pieper, 346.

[14] Romans 3:23-24.

[15] Romans 8:1.

[16] 1 Corinthians 15:56-57.

[17] Hebrews 9:22.

[18] St. John 3:16.

Maundy Thursday

 Maundy Thursday – April 17, 2025

Psalm 67; Exodus 12:1-14; 1 Corinthians 11:20-32

St. John 13:1-15, 34-35

In the Name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

St. Paul writes of the Sacrament of the Altar, “For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you.”[1] The Sacrament we celebrate this evening is the same Sacrament St. Paul delivered to the Corinthians. More importantly, it is the same Sacrament Christ gave to His gathered disciples on the night on which He was betrayed. We participate in that same Supper, namely the very Body and Blood of Christ, given for you for the forgiveness of sins.

What you receive is the same Body and Blood of Christ that hung on the cross and rose from the grave three days later. So much is it the same, that it is not my reciting the Words of Christ that makes it the Sacrament. Rather, the speaking of the Verba marks these elements, this bread and wine, as participating in the very Words Christ spoke that first Maundy Thursday. These elements participate in the miracle of Christ Supper and thus are the Body and Blood of Christ, made so by His very words.

This Sacrament was given for us to “do this” often, namely eat and drink His Body and Blood, in remembrance of Him. The words, “in remembrance” mean to call to mind not only what the Sacrament is and what benefits it bestows, and those are chiefly what it refers to, but also the sacrifice made by Christ, through which we are saved. To receive the Sacrament in remembrance of Him is to remember Christ’s perfect life and death and to know that you are receiving the fruits of His righteousness in this very supper. You receive the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation. None of these belong to you by right. They are not rewards for your work, knowledge, or personal righteousness. The Supper belongs to Christ and He has graciously called you to His table to receive everything that rightly belongs to Him. It is His forgiveness, life, and salvation that you receive.

And as this Supper rightly belongs to Him, it is the great gathering of the Body of Christ around His Holy Supper. It is a divine family meal, shared by those of the same faith, in a shared confession of Christ’s holy name.

Who, then, should receive the Sacrament? Simply, one who is worthy and well prepared. To be worthy to receive the Sacrament is to have faith in these words, “Given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.”

As for preparation, St. Paul says, “Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup.” To be prepared to receive the Sacrament requires examination. This examination is best done according to the Small Catechism, under the section called, “Christian Questions with Their Answers.” In summary, this examination has four chief parts. First, it requires that you know that you are a sinner. This is necessary since the Sacrament offers the forgiveness of sins. If you have no sin, then you have no need of the Sacrament. If you think you have no sin, you deceive yourself, and again, you have no need of the Sacrament. Knowledge and awareness of your sin also makes you aware of your need for salvation, your need for a Savior.

The second part of this examination is to see if you are sorry for your sins. This is called “contrition.” One can be aware of his sin but not sorry, not sorrowful, over it. Such pride has no place in the Christian, nor does such a prideful man have a share in Christ’s Body. Rather, to know your sin and be sorry for it is to desire to be free from it, to be turned away from it, to be relieved of it.

The third part of this examination concerns faith. If sorrow over sin is the first part of repentance, the second part is faith, trust that Christ has and will forgive your sin. Trusting that Christ can, does, and will forgive your sins is nothing more than trusting that the words of Christ are true. “Given and shed for you, for the forgiveness of sins.” Christ has said it, and this I believe.

The final part of examination is the intention, with the help of the Holy Spirit, to resist the devil and walk in newness of life. This is the fruit of repentance. A Christian who receives the forgiveness of sins has received a new heart, and sincerely intends to strive against the temptations of the devil and walk in the light of Christ.

Such preparation requires at lease some intellectual ability. It requires the ability to speak or communicate an awareness of what is happening in the Sacrament. This is especially important for the relationship between the communicant and the Celebrant, the Pastor who is distributing the Lord’s Supper. He, as the steward of the mysteries of God, is responsible for distributing the Holy Communion according to Christ’s institution and command. And since St. Paul warns against receiving the Sacrament unworthily, it is necessary that the Pastor do everything he can to assure that those who receive it from him, receive it to their benefit and not to their judgment.

This means the Pastor must be able to discern that the communicant can and has examined himself. It means the Pastor must have the sense that this person knows he is a sinner, is sorry for his sins, has faith that Christ has forgiven his sins, and intends to bear fruit according to this faith. That requires communication and examination on the part of the Pastor.

What about those whose faith is weak or who are struggling with their faith? Should they commune? By all means! The True Body and Blood of Christ strengthens you in body and soul to life everlasting. If a Christian’s faith is weak, if he has been assaulted by the cares of this world or the temptations of the devil, there is nothing he needs more than the assurance of the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation found in the Holy Supper. He needs to be fed on the medicine of immortality that he might go on in the strength of this holy food.

We each ought to be concerned with receiving the Sacrament worthily. The First Letter to the Corinthians makes it clear that to receive it unworthily and unprepared is to eat and drink to your own judgment. The Lord’s Supper is the medicine of immortality, but use any medicine incorrectly and it will harm you. Failure to consider the right use of the Sacrament runs the danger of receiving it to your temporal and eternal harm.

Who, then, should not receive the Sacrament of the Altar? First, those who are not Christians or are not baptized should not receive the Sacrament. They have no knowledge of sin according to the Word of God and do not trust in Christ for Salvation. If they are converts to Christianity who haven’t yet been baptized, they first need to receive the new birth of water and the Holy Spirit. Then, they may join in the glorious feast of Christ.

Second, those who cannot examine themselves should not receive the Sacrament. This includes infants, who have not yet obtained the intellectual ability to examine themselves. It also includes those with significantly progressed forms of dementia or alzheimer’s, who have lost the intellectual ability to examine themselves. Similarly, those who are unconscious should not commune. Finally, the uninstructed fit into this category. The uninstructed are not lacking in skill but are lacking in knowledge. They must first be shown from God’s Word what sin is, how to find sin within themselves, who Christ is, what He has done, and receive instruction in what it means to bear fruit in keeping with repentance.

Third, those who are openly unrepentant, living contrary to God’s Word, should not commune. These are those Christians who are aware of their sins but are not contrite over them or do not want to amend their life so as to flee from sin. This, by the way, includes sins against the Third Commandment. The one who was baptized and confirmed in a Lutheran Church but hasn’t come to the Divine Service since the Sunday after confirmation should not commune. He habitually lives contrary to God’s command to be in Church, to gather with the saints, to commune often, that is frequently.

In the preface to the Small Catechism, Dr. Luther says that someone who does not seek Holy Communion at least four times a year is not a Christian, and he is being generous. God commands frequent attendance to keep the Sabbath day holy. Attending once or twice a year, let alone a few times in a decade, does not mean you are a Christian. Such a one should not commune until he has received fresh instruction, examined himself and been examined such that he can make the bold confession, “I am a sinner for whom Christ died, and my soul needs the Sacrament that I might obtain the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation.”

Fourth, Christians who are themselves unforgiving and refuse to be reconciled with their neighbors also ought not commune. Christ says, “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”[2] To withhold forgiveness and refuse reconciliation is to slap Christ in the face. It is to say that your judgment is greater than God’s. He gave His life for you, to forgive your sins, yet you would refuse to forgive someone for their slight against you. Like the servant who begged for forgiveness from his master but refused to forgive the debt of another servant and was thrown into prison, the outcome for refusing to forgive is the same.

Finally, those of a different confession are not to commune together. Holy Communion is not just an individual act between you and God. It is a public expression of unity with those who kneel at the rail with you. It is a statement that you share the doctrine that is preached from this pulpit and distributed from this altar. It is a meal shared by a family, it is not for strangers off the street, foreigners to the family.

There are real distinctions between denominations. Any church body that ordains women does not believe the Scriptures to be without error. Any church who believes the Sacrament of the Altar is a symbol of Christ’s Body has a false understanding of who Christ is. A Church who gives any man other than Christ the authority to determine what sin is or who receives salvation does not believe what the Bible says concerning the forgiveness of sins and our justification before God. These are real, core differences that we should not overlook. There are certainly Christians in all Christian denominations but there is no unity. To commune together would be to confess a lie, a unity that doesn’t exist.

To a lesser degree, it is also important to remember that even within the Lutheran Church -Missouri Synod, a visitor to a church does not have an inherent right to commune. When you visit another congregation, you are a guest in their house. It is your responsibility to contact the Pastor ahead of time so that he knows to expect you. On the morning of, it is your responsibility to arrive early, introduce yourself, and ask permission to commune. It is fitting and proper for a guest to ask to participate in the family meal. And if the pastor, for whatever reason, asks you not to commune that day, you should not take offense. Your soul will not be harmed by not receiving the sacrament for that one day. You will still participate in the service. You will hear the Word of God by which man is saved. Your sins will be forgiven.

Regarding those who should not commune, the goal is always to move toward being able to commune. For the unbeliever, that they would be brought to faith in Christ, moved by the Holy Spirit through the Word of God to receive Christ as the only way to salvation. For the unrepentant and the unforgiving, that they would be shown the depth of their sin, moved by the Holy Spirit to confess that sin for what it is and return to the sheepfold of faith, sincerely fleeing from sin and clinging to Christ. For the uninstructed, that they would be instructed in the faith, taught the Word of God so that they might examine themselves and be found worthy and prepared to receive the Holy Communion. And finally, for those of a different confession, that they would see the errors taught in their denomination and brought to a right understanding of the Word of God, made to see the pure truth of God’s Word. The Church regularly prays for an end to all schisms. Christ has one Body and it is the sincere desire of all Christians that the Body of Christ would be united in a true confession of His Word.

The meal we share this evening is the Lord’s Supper. It is His meal where He is both host and food. We dine together, being united in one confession of Christ’s Holy Word. In this divine meal, we receive the forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation because in this meal, we receive Christ, Himself. He gives His Body and Blood that we would be united with Him in body and soul.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] 1 Corinthians 11:23.

[2] St. Matthew 6:14-15.

Good Friday

Good Friday – April 7, 2023

Hosea 6:1-6; Habakkuk 3:2-4; Exodus 12:1-11; Psalm 140

St. John 18-19

In the Name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

It is profitable for one man to die on behalf of the people.[1]

The term “Passion” as we use it to describe the “Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ” refers to something that is experienced, something that happens to someone from the outside, and it usually carries a sense of something evil that is happening. For this reason, “passion” is sometimes equated to “suffering.” In fact, older uses of the term “to suffer” meant “to experience something happening to you,” without the expectation that the experience is evil.

Caiaphas, the illegitimate high priest, declares that it is profitable for one man to die on behalf of the people. In this statement, he is correct. Despite his unbelief, his blasphemy, his hatred of God, Caiaphas speaks the truth. It is profitable for mankind for one man, Jesus Christ, to die on behalf of the people.

It is profitable because only this man, only Jesus Christ, could bear the sins of the world and make atonement for them. Only the blood of this man, Jesus Christ, could appease the Father, who has rightfully judged mankind to be wicked and evil in all his thoughts and ways.[2] Only this man, Jesus Christ, could submit Himself to the bitter scorn, abuse, torture, and death delivered by Judas, Pilate, Caiaphas, and the Jews when at any moment, He could have called five legions of angels to deliver Himself.

The suffering and death of Jesus is profitable because He is God in human flesh. His suffering and death are profitable to you because His holy blood is more precious to the Father than all the blood of beasts. His suffering and death fulfills the debt of every sin from the first taste of the fruit in the garden to the sin born in the flesh of the last child conceived in the womb. And only the body and blood of Jesus is never ending. The blood of a human eventually runs dry. The body of a human eventually returns to dust. The Blood of Jesus is life giving Blood. It never runs dry. It is the source of life for all creation. The Body of Jesus never returns to dust. In Him is life. His living Body encompasses all who believe in Him and this number continues to grow with each passing generation.

Yet if the suffering and death of Jesus has fulfilled your debt to God why is it that you still suffer? The idea that Jesus has taken away the sting of death is commonly heard from Christian pulpits. The thought that death is now a portal for Christians because the death of Jesus has ended eternal death for all who believe is a comforting thought but it is something far off. It is the end of this mortal life and something that we do not necessarily face every day. But every day that we wake up in this life we have some sort of suffering. Much worse is the great suffering which marks life on this side of glory.

The daily suffering we all endure is simply the result of the fall. Aches and pains, annoyances, fits of anger, lust, or greed. All of creation experiences these. They are not unique to Christians. But what of the great sufferings. What of the serious threat of poverty? What of the serious threat of bodily harm? Or significant illness? Or threats of prison, persecution, or execution? What of terrible wrestling with conscience in a world that requires you to participate in your own demise? What of the struggle to raise children in a world that will call you a bigot, racist, or Nazi for choosing to protect your children from degeneracy?

This great suffering is caused by the devil and his ungodly minions because you Christians hold to the Word of God. You hear it, read it, learn it, and practice it. For this, our Ancient Foe would have you scorned, abused, tortured, and killed. Satan is pleased enough if you are killed for your faith but he is far more elated when he can destroy your faith for the sake of his pleasure. You are hated because of the Word of God. Sometimes this hatred is explicit, as in the murder of children and teachers at a Christian school in Tennessee.

Far more common is an implicit hatred for you who love the Word of God. From birth, you are trained to view Christianity as evil and the teachings of Scripture as false. Satan and his ungodly followers love to abuse the truth by giving you only part of it. For example, we have all been taught in school and constantly throughout our lives that slavery is evil. We’ve even been taught that slavery is sinful. And yet, how does St. Paul treat slavery when he writes to Philemon, concerning the runaway slave, Onesimus? Not once does he rebuke Philemon for sinning by having slaves. In fact, he encourages Onesimus to return to his master as a dutiful slave. St. Paul does encourage Philemon to free Onesimus and treat him as a brother in Christ and pay him a wage as a laborer, but he does not rebuke him for the supposed sin of slavery.

Is it possible to commit grievous sins in the name of slavery? Absolutely. It is possible to establish a sinful form of slavery in which man is treated as sub-human, beaten and abused for the pleasure of the master? Of course. It is also possible to establish a marriage in which a man abuses his wife but that doesn’t make marriage sinful.

This digression into the supposed sin of slavery is not the topic of today’s sermon nor the purpose for our gathering today. But it is illustrative of just how skilled Satan is at teaching you to ignore the Scriptures. Take a little truth and spread it thin over a great lie and suddenly you can deceive the masses. Caiaphas said, “It is profitable for one man to die for the people,” by which he either meant, “Killing this one man will return power to me and my fellow Jews, by which the people will be easier to control and have a manufactured peace,” or he was speaking blasphemously and sarcastically. Either way, Caiaphas used a thin veneer of truth to hide his wicked desires.

The suffering caused by the devil and the world is certainly something which we experience, and which comes to us from the outside. However, the suffering of Christians is also caused by God. It is caused by God on account of our own sins.

It would be more fitting to say that such suffering is allowed by God and is caused by our own sins. Again, I am not speaking of the aches and pains of age or the minor frustrations of the world. I speak of the serious suffering which occurs throughout life. This suffering is experienced by Christians on account of our sin. God allows this suffering not just to punish, but to drive us toward Him. Such grievous suffering will produce one of two reactions within man: either we will spurn God and turn away from Him, in which case we are choosing our own damnation, or it will drive us ever more firmly to God and the promise of salvation won by Jesus Christ.

“God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”[3] What is our strength? “Thee I will love, my Strength, my Tower; Thee will I love, my Hope, my Joy; Thee will I love with all my power, With ardor time shall ne’er destroy. Thee will I love, O Light Divine, So long as life is mine…for Thou my Redeemer art.”[4] God certainly is faithful and will not let you be tempted beyond your strength because your strength is in Jesus Christ your Lord!

When you are tempted, when you are enduring the greatest suffering you have yet known, the only source of strength you have left is to look to Christ and the promise of salvation. Where do you find this strength? Where do you find this promise? In the Word of God. In your Holy Baptism.

When you are enduring this terrible suffering on account of the devil and the world or on account of your own sin, the only refuge you have in this world is to remember that you are a baptized child of God. The blood that Jesus Christ shed on Calvary has been sprinkled upon you and God has promised never to leave you or forsake you.

What then? Should you stand up in your suffering and say, “This isn’t so bad. Jesus died for me so I can do whatever I want and sure, there will be consequences, but they don’t matter. I can do what I want!” Of course not. You repent. You repent of your sins and cry out to your Father, “Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned! Forgive me for the shed blood of Jesus! Strengthen me to endure the suffering of this world and grant that Your Holy Spirit would strengthen me to hold on to the promise of salvation!”

In this spirit, in the spirit of repentance and endurance, you can then face your suffering and say, “Come what may, I am baptized into Christ. Should all things fall down around me, I am baptized into Christ.” It is in this spirit of repentance and endurance that we can suffer boldly. We can suffer boldly because we know that such suffering is only for a time. Should that suffering result in our earthly death, then we know we have eternity with Christ to look forward to.

God is faithful and has given you the suffering and death of His only begotten Son to bless your suffering, to bless you in your suffering. By the suffering and death of Jesus, the suffering of all Christians has in fact been sanctified. It is not as though your suffering somehow atones for sins. Rather, your suffering is a participation in the suffering of Jesus. Your suffering is following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ. His suffering and death not only atoned for your sins but also set forth the example of a Godly life.

This sanctified suffering is not the suffering of your own choosing. This is the error of the papists and fanatics alike. The papists believe that by forcing themselves to suffer, by inducing a sense of suffering, they can make themselves more holy. They fast and beat their bodies believing this self-chosen suffering will please the Father. They have fallen prey to the deceits of the devil. By inflicting their own pains, they are not suffering. Suffering comes from outside and is experienced. They are doing it to themselves; therefore, it is not suffering.

Christians fast and endure physical disciplines to train the body. Christ expects that Christians would fast not to induce a sense of suffering but to prepare the body for a time when eating the food given to idols might be sinful or when food might be so scarce that feeding your children is more important than satiating your belly.

The fanatics choose all sorts of manmade suffering but worst is the suffering they induce in their own consciences. They believe that God has so ordered their lives that they must work to retain their faith or that they must make all decisions according to some secret plan of God. Their false doctrines concerning the will of God induce unnecessary suffering that does nothing but drive them away from the comfort of the promise of salvation.

The Christian, however, endures the suffering of this world as he walks in the way of Jesus. Christ has promised to do something remarkable with our suffering and thus we have trust that God is faithful.[5] It is among the highest arts in the life of a Christian, which we must all learn, to look to the Word and away from the trouble and suffering that lies upon us and weighs us down. “Even though it hurts, so be it, you have to go through some suffering anyhow; things cannot always go smoothly. It is just as well, nay, a thousand times better, to have suffered for the sake of Christ, who promised us comfort and help in suffering, than to suffer and despair and perish without comfort and help for the sake of the devil.

“You should also accustom yourself to distinguish carefully between the suffering of Christ and all other suffering and know that his is a heavenly suffering and ours is worlds, that His suffering accomplishes everything, while ours does nothing except that we become conformed to Christ, and that therefore the suffering of Christ is the suffering of a lord, whereas our is the suffering of a servant.”[6]

It is truly profitable that this one man, Jesus Christ, True Son of God and True Son of Man, should die on behalf of man, on behalf of Christians, on behalf of you. It is truly profitable that this day we should share in His suffering and death not by our own choosing or by evoking some emotion of suffering, but by receiving His suffering and death in His holy Word and Sacrament.

In + Jesus’ name. Amen.

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[1] St. John 18:14.

[2] Genesis 6:5.

[3] 1 Corinthians 10:13.

[4] Thee Will I Love, My Strength, My Tower, TLH 399, text: Johann Scheffler, 1657, trans: Catherine Winkworth, 1865, alt.

[5] St. John 16:33; 1 Corinthians 10:113.

[6] Martin Luther, “Sermon at Coburg on Cross and Suffering,” (1530), AE 51:197-208, edited and translated by John W. Doberstein, general editor Helmut T. Lehmann (Philadelphia, PA: Fortress Press, 1959), 208.